Amidst pearls and glitter, four teenage girls in 1970s Alabama crassly jeer and pepper each other with compliments and epithets. Set in a locker room, the girls’ chatter about a beauty pageant turns into a deep examination of beauty and loyalty in “The Real Queen of Hearts Ain’t Even Pretty,” Poly Upper School’s fall play.
Performed by a committed ensemble of just four Upper School students — junior Helen Vellanoweth, sophomore Taylor Yong, freshman Sophie Converse and freshman Tara Parsa — the play made its debut on Nov. 3 in the Black Box Theater.
The play also required a variety of skill sets and help from different members of the Poly community. Sophomore Charlie Bryant, the stage manager; senior James Miller, the soundboard operator; and sophomore Sam Kinjo, the lighting and electrical engineer, worked alongside Upper School Performing Arts teachers Andrew Villaverde and Richard Sherrell to replicate the ambiance of a 1970s high school in Alabama with deliberate sound effects, intricate set designs and beautiful lights. In addition, senior Malcolm Villaverde contributed by singing the theme song that plays after the conclusion of the beauty pageant.
Sophomore Lennon Standridge, who watched the play, commented, “I enjoyed watching it; the acting was excellent and I thought Sophie Converse was especially realistic.”
Originally, the Upper School Performing Arts Department announced that the fall play would be “Crush,” but due to the lack of actor interest, the department allowed the cast members to vote on which play they wanted to perform. “The Real Queen of Hearts Ain’t Even Pretty,” written by Brad Bailey, emerged victorious.
“At first, I thought the play’s plot was kind of silly,” shared Cynthia Crass, Upper School Performing Arts teacher and 10th Grade Dean and Coordinator, who directed the play. “However, as we worked on it, I realized it was exactly the right play for this group of kids. It gave each of them something good and meaty to work on, and I discovered it had more meaning than I thought it did.”
Initially, Liz and Cass simply appear as best friends working backstage for their school’s beauty pageant, but the provocation of other characters discloses underlying tensions. In between sips of vodka, Paula divulges her life’s struggles while Cass and Liz bicker around her monologuing. The play concludes with Sheri Lee, whom both Liz and Cass hate at first, winning the pageant and Cass’s and Paula’s loyalty, leaving Liz in the dust.
Overall, Poly’s production of “The Real Queen of Hearts Ain’t Even Pretty” emphasized resilience, teamwork and community.
“Although our cast was so small, we all were able to become really close, and that made performing so much more fun,” shared Vellanoweth, who played Liz Nichols, the head cheerleader. “I really liked the play we chose, and I was very pleased with the final result, especially because we put so much work into it.”
The timeless themes on female friendship and power dynamics between high school girls made the play relevant to both the cast and audience. “My goal is always, like with any play I do, that they walk away with something more to think about and something to reflect on. Although this play takes place fifty years ago, the themes in it are still relevant today,” shared Crass.
